What Is Pharmacy?
Pharmacy is a profession and discipline that deals with the discovery, production, preparation, dispensing, review, and monitoring of medications for health outcomes and safety. It is a complex and multifaceted science that spans health sciences, pharmaceutical science, and natural sciences. It is also a profession with multiple career opportunities. Many pharmacists are small business proprietors; others work in the research and development field; while others work directly with patients as care providers or educators.
Pharmacists have long been a key component in the delivery of safe and effective healthcare. According to the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), pharmacists are uniquely positioned to optimize drug treatment for individual patients. Their training includes the study of drug interactions, metabolic and physiological responses to drugs, and individualized dosing to maximize clinical outcomes. The practice of pharmacy has evolved over time as new medicines, doses, and delivery methods are developed. As a result, pharmacy has become increasingly important in the health system as a patient-centered profession with a wide range of clinical services.
A pharmacy is a health care store that sells prescription and over-the-counter medication, as well as general merchandise, such as toiletries, cosmetics, and office supplies. In some countries, pharmacies are only open to licensed medical professionals, while in others, they are widely accessible by the general public. A pharmacy may be a standalone establishment, or it can be part of larger retail businesses such as supermarkets and mass merchandisers. In either case, it is regulated by the government to ensure that only qualified professionals sell and deliver medication to customers.
Pharmacy is one of the oldest and most respected professions in medicine. Its roots can be traced back to Greek legend, when Asclepius, the god of healing, delegated to his wife Hygieia the responsibility for compounding his remedies. This was the beginning of the art of pharmacy.
Today, there is a wide selection of prescription and over-the-counter medications to treat almost any disease. With so many options, it can be difficult for prescribers and patients to select the right medicine. Pharmacists can help by performing a thorough patient-centered medication review (pvCMR) and offering recommendations to improve adherence.
A pvCMR is an in-depth evaluation of a patient’s current medications and their interaction with each other. It takes 30-60 minutes to complete and includes a disease state management assessment, looking at goals and strategies for improving drug use, while promoting patient-centered care and minimizing polypharmacy.
If you are interested in becoming a pharmacist, the first step is to earn your Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD). Then, you’ll need to pass two exams to obtain licensure and practice: The North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE). Once you have successfully passed the MPJE, you can begin practicing as a pharmacist.
Pharmacy is a profession and discipline that deals with the discovery, production, preparation, dispensing, review, and monitoring of medications for health outcomes and safety. It is a complex and multifaceted science that spans health sciences, pharmaceutical science, and natural sciences. It is also a profession with multiple career opportunities. Many pharmacists are small business proprietors; others work in the research and development field; while others work directly with patients as care providers or educators. Pharmacists have long been a key component in the delivery of safe and effective healthcare. According to the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), pharmacists are uniquely positioned to optimize drug treatment for individual patients. Their training includes the study of drug interactions, metabolic and physiological responses to drugs, and individualized dosing to maximize clinical outcomes. The practice of pharmacy has evolved over time as new medicines, doses, and delivery methods are developed. As a result, pharmacy has become increasingly important in the health system as a patient-centered profession with a wide range of clinical services. A pharmacy is a health care store that sells prescription and over-the-counter medication, as well as general merchandise, such as toiletries, cosmetics, and office supplies. In some countries, pharmacies are only open to licensed medical professionals, while in others, they are widely accessible by the general public. A pharmacy may be a standalone establishment, or it can be part of larger retail businesses such as supermarkets and mass merchandisers. In either case, it is regulated by the government to ensure that only qualified professionals sell and deliver medication to customers. Pharmacy is one of the oldest and most respected professions in medicine. Its roots can be traced back to Greek legend, when Asclepius, the god of healing, delegated to his wife Hygieia the responsibility for compounding his remedies. This was the beginning of the art of pharmacy. Today, there is a wide selection of prescription and over-the-counter medications to treat almost any disease. With so many options, it can be difficult for prescribers and patients to select the right medicine. Pharmacists can help by performing a thorough patient-centered medication review (pvCMR) and offering recommendations to improve adherence. A pvCMR is an in-depth evaluation of a patient’s current medications and their interaction with each other. It takes 30-60 minutes to complete and includes a disease state management assessment, looking at goals and strategies for improving drug use, while promoting patient-centered care and minimizing polypharmacy. If you are interested in becoming a pharmacist, the first step is to earn your Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD). Then, you’ll need to pass two exams to obtain licensure and practice: The North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE). Once you have successfully passed the MPJE, you can begin practicing as a pharmacist.